Investigate

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Is there a word you don't understand?

Check it in our  **GLOSSARY** !* // Big Question:
 * Words with links will go straight to our glossary //

**How will plastic be used in the year 2050?** Nothing is definite, since no one can look into the future. Some possible answers to this question is that we will use plastic exactly the same way then as now, only more items will be made of plastic. It is a fair enough guess to say that the scientists will have developed a biodegradable kind of plastic by the year 2050, which is a good 40 years from now. Another possible scenario might be that plastic will be less commonly used, due to scarce resources, as there are quite a few materials used in the making of plastic. This will probably not happen until later on, but it still might happen. Something else that is possible is that governments may ban all usage of plastic bags unless for produce and meat, and plastic shopping bag disposal might drop. As previously mentioned, nothing is definite, so we'll just have to wait and see, and hope for the best! Key Questions:

**1. How is the disposal of plastic impacting on the environment?** Some people are currently disposing plastic thoughtlessly and without any consideration of the environment and its future. Although some people are trying to do their best by recycling and trying to reduce the amount of rubbish thrown away, it still won't help the world because of the larger majority of people who aren't trying. Incorrect or thoughtless disposal of plastic causes most animals (on both land and sea) to become endangered. As an example, a turtle or other sea animals may mistake a plastic bag as food, and eat it, often resulting in death. Things like the plastic rings to keep six-pack drinks together may wind up around an animal's necks, causing a slow death of the animal gradually not being able to breathe.

**2. How is plastic currently being used?** Plastic is a major material in our households, since most items are made from plastic. In some ways, it is better to use plastic than other materials although it takes longer to biodegrade than the natural organic materials. Since plastic is cheaper, plastic is being mass produced. Plastic is also being overused because plastic products are long-lasting and since they are durable, people buy them less often because of their ability to last longer than other materials. Plastic is useful because they are hard to dissolve in liquids, although some of them will dissolve in petrol or nail polish remover. They are also flexible and do not deform when they are bent unless there is too much pressure applied. Some lenses found in a pair of glasses can be made of plastic instead of real glass, because when the glasses are too thick, the glass becomes too heavy and may constantly fall of a person’s face. Plastic is also used in shopping. Plastic bags are cheap, light and strong but people throw them away without thinking.

Most plastics can't be recycled, so if they used either synthetic or natural organic material, it would not make a difference. These are not necessarily better for the environment but if plastic is made from natural materials, animals may soon lose their habitat or diet. Biodegradable plastic is made from natural organic material such as corn. Synthetic material to make plastic is made of chemicals which has been separated from crude oil. This process is called fractional distillation and the lightest oil from the crude oil is used to make plastic granules. The granules are used to make plastic products. Plastic containers are compressed, then either shredded or chopped. The particles are then washed, dried and formed into plastic pellets or powder, ready to be made into new plastic products. The plastics that scientists are trying to manufacture are examples of natural organic materials, which consist of sweet potato, bamboo, flax, soya beans, corn and sugar. This is affecting the environment because then the plastic is biodegradable. On the other hand, synthetic material is reusable and recyclable but it is bad for the environment because it is not biodegradable.
 * 3. What are the different materials used to make plastic and how do they affect the environment?**

Supporting Questions: **1a. How would everyday life be different if we stopped the making and usage of plastic? What materials would be used instead?** Everyday life would be different if we stopped the making and usage of plastic because plastic bags, most drink bottles, take-away containers, stationery, some boxes and most household items are made of plastic, so most of it would either not be around or be replaced with a different material. Everyday items would then be replaced with wood, ivory and metal. Before plastic was invented, most of the everyday items would be made from other materials, such as wood, glass, paper, some metals and ivory. Billiard balls used to be made from ivory which was made from elephant or walrus tusks. In 1860, a billiard-ball company offered $10,000 for anyone who could make another material to replace ivory. American John Hyatt invented celluloid which was the first industrial plastic and by inventing celluloid, he won the competition. Although, John Hyatt won the competition, he never received the prize for an unknown reason possibly because the court cases between 1877 to 1884 proved that Alexander Parkes was the true inventor of celluloid. This all happened because the english inventor, Daniel Spill because he urged John Hyatt to the many court cases. There are some sayings that using plastic is helping protect the plants and animals. If we //did// stop the making and usage of plastic, then we may need to buy things like utensils and certain furniture more often, since they aren't as durable as plastic.

Scientists are investigating new ideas to make plastics by using plants such as the sweet potato, bamboo and flax in the production process. Using natural organic materials to make plastic would be environmentally friendly. Products like a car would be easier to dispose of if it was made from natural organic materials, because most of the parts would naturally biodegrade. Instead of disposing of it, you may just be able to eat it! (But probably not.) Alternative sources such as soya beans, corn and sugar can also be processed into plastic products to save the world's valuable non-renewable resources. Plastic products are long-lasting. Since they are durable, people buy plastic products less often, because of their ability to last longer than most other materials. Most plastics are hard to dissolve in liquids, although some of them will dissolve in petrol or nail polish remover. Most plastics are flexible and do not deform when they are bent, but they will snap if too much pressure is applied. Plastics can also help prevent the escaping of heat and electricity through things like cables and wires, since they are not conductors of electricity. Plastics do not rust or dent easily, can be soft or stiff, transparent or opaque, as rigid as steel or as soft as cotton or rubber. Plastic items are strong, waterproof and (often) light-weight, which means they have a low density and will float in water. They can be made into almost any shape, colour and size. Plastic objects are generally cheaper than the same products made from other materials such as wood and metal. In this way, more people can afford plastic. Some lenses found in a pair of glasses can be made of plastic instead of real glass, because when the glasses are too thick, the glass becomes too heavy and may constantly fall of a person's face. When people went shopping, they used to take their own bags or baskets. Now the shops provide the plastic bags. The supermarkets also sell large, strong shopping bags for people to use every time. Plastic bags are cheap, light and strong but people throw them away without thinking. Billions of plastic bags end up as rubbish after a shopping trip. In many places, these end up around city streets, clog drains and waterways, litter beaches and choke animals. Many countries are now encouraging people to use less plastic bags. Some supermarkets in Australia offer a small refund if the customer brings their own shopping bag and charges extra if the customer uses their plastic bags. Another example is in the United Kingdom, where anyone who uses a plastic bag on a shopping trip would be fined a certain amount of money. (Bags for meat and fresh produce wasn't counted.) After that, the usage and disposal of plastic bags dropped by 90%.
 * b. How are people trying to change the use of plastic?**
 * 2a. Why is plastic so commonly used and what is it normally used for?**

Annually, Australians use six billion or more plastic bags. Most of the plastic bags then end up in the landfill, where they require approximately twenty years to biodegrade. Since plastic shopping bags cannot be recycled, it is best not to use them. We can use other kinds of shopping bags that can be reused many times, such as the green cotton bags that can be purchased in most supermarkets, or the ones that are now being given as a free gift with the purchase of a clothing item in some clothing stores (such as Glassons and Supre).
 * b. Plastic is known to be bad for the environment. How are we trying to alter the making of plastic? **

**3a. What are the processes of turning material into plastic? (Synthetic and Natural Organic Material)** Some plastics are made from natural organic material but most of the plastic is made from synthetic material. The synthetic materials are chemicals in crude oil. The separation on the oil is called fractional distillation. The lightest oil from the crude oil is used to make plastic granules. The granules are then sent to factories to be made into plastic products. These are the processes of turning plastic containers into plastic materials. When the recyclable plastic items that we put out for recycling are collected along with all the other recyclable materials, they are taken to a recycling depot. At the depot, the plastic materials are sorted and then separated from the other materials. The plastic is then sorted into colour and different types of recyclable plastic as different types of plastic melt at different temperatures. This plastic identification code for recyclable plastic are 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 with a triangle around it. **†** Any materials that cannot be recycled such as lids are removed. The plastic containers are compressed into bales and taken to plastic factories. At the plastic factories, the plastic is either shredded or chopped. The particles are then washed, dried and formed into pellets or powder ready to be made into new plastic products. The plastic is then softened by using heat and can be shaped using moulds. Plastic can also be made into very fine fibres. The new plastic products made from recycled plastic containers are soft drink and detergent bottles, fleecy jumpers and jackets, compost bins and wheelie bins, outdoor plastic furniture, pipes, crates, carpet and vinyl flooring.

Synthetic materials are not like natural organic materials. This means that synthetic materials are man-made. Some common synthetic materials are cardboard and paper, since it goes through a process to go into the stage of being what it is. The original material is a natural material. Natural Organic Material is made naturally, without any extra help from man. This means that they are not modified. Some of the examples are fruit, vegetables, wheat and other plants.
 * b. What are the differences between synthetic material and natural organic material?**

**†** :This is the table on the more common types of plastic.
 * Code || Type of Plastic || Main Products ||
 * 1. PET or PETE || Polyethylene Terephthalate || Soft-Drink Bottles ||
 * 2. HDPE || High-density Polyethylene || Milk and Juice Bottles, Crinkly Shopping Bags ||
 * 3. PVC || Polyvinyl Chloride || Food Packaging, Toys, Plumbing Pipes ||
 * 4. LDPE || Low-density Polyethylene || Food Wrap, Ice-cream Tub Lids, Black Plastic Sheeting ||
 * 5. PP || Polypropylene || Potato Crisp Bags, Lunch Boxes, Ice-cream Tubs ||
 * 6. PS and EPS || Polystyrene and Expanded Polystyrene || Plastic Cutlery, Hot Drink Cups, Foam Packaging ||
 * 7. Other || All other plastics || Computer Casings, Hard Hats ||